Transfer device for conveyers



1 I May 17 9&7 o. E. SWARTZ TRANSFER DEVICE FOR CONVEYERS Filed March10. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l vwentoz attorney Ma 1 1927. 1 629 323 y o. E.SWARTZ TRANSFER DEVICE FOR CONVEYERS Filed March 10. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet2 lll'll wuemtoz ay 17 o. E. SWARTZ TRANSFER DEVICE FOR CONVEYERS FiledMarch 10, 1925 5 Sheets$heet 3 Patented May 1 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,629,323 PATENT OFFICE.

OBLO I. BW ABTZ, OF WADBWOB'IH, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE-OHIO HATCHOOIlPANY,

OI WADSWOBTH, OH IO, A CORPORATION 01 OHIO. TRANSFER DEVICE FOROOHVEYEBS.

Application flied larch 10, 1925. Serial No. 14,516.

This invention'relates to a transfer device for use with conveyers, andin the embodiment hereinafter particularly described, and as shown inthe drawings, is arranged for a, use with a travelling belt conveyerassociated with match making machinerv, for receiving the boxed outputof a plurality of match machines and conveyin s'uchoutput to a point ofcollection at w ich it isdischarged from the conve er and from which itis collected and con ucted to a point of further manipulation such as bya wrapping machine.

The object of the invention is-to provide a transfer device for use witha conveyer mechanism such as that described in the copendin applicationof Harry I. Lahr and Orlo Egswartz, filed November 8, 1924 Se rial No.748,758, and in which a travelling conveyer belt is arranged inco-operative relation with a plurality of match machlnes,

for receiving the boxed output of such match machines, the transferdevice of this invention being adapted to push the boxes of 26 matchesin uniform series oil of the conveyer belt and into a chute or othertransferring means from which they may be collected and transported to apoint of further manipulation.

The invention consists essentially in the combination with a conveyermechanism, preferably of the travelling belt type, of a reciprocablepusher member arranged for reciprocating movement transversely of theconveyer belt with respect to the direction of its travel, means beingassociated with said pusher member for causing it to assume a positionin such proximity to the belt during its operative stroke transverselthereof as to discharge boxesof matches t erefrom by pushing the boxesof matches off of the belt, and to raise the pusher member out of matchbox engaging proximity to the belt upon its return or inoperative strokethereacross, and means for imparting reciprocatory movement to thepusher member in timed relation to the operation of other devices of theconveyer mechanism, as I will proceed now to explain and finallv claim.In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarl designated,

Figure l'is a side elevation o a portion of a belt conveyer and itsassociated mechanism including the transfer device of this invenr anismtion. igla 2 is an end view of the parts shown in ig. land lookingtoward the left. hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section takensubstantially in the plane of line "3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking inthedirection of the arrows--60 Flg. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing the parts of the mechanism in a different position. Fig.5 is anenlarged detail perspectlve view of the friction clutch member. Ashereinbefore indicated, the transfer device of this invention is used incombination. w th a conve er mechanism comprising in part a travelingconveyer belt 1 arranged to travel over suitable drums or pulleys 2arranged at op osite ends of the conveyer mechanism, on one of which isshown. The pulley 2, s own, is the driving pulley for the conveyer beltand is operated by a suitable worm and wheel gearing 3 to which power isimparted by means of suitable gearing 4 from an electric motor 5 orotherv source of power. The upper or working fl1ght of the conveyer belt1 is supported upon a suitable bed 6 carried in longitudinal stringers 7extending throughout the length of the conveyer mechanism, whereby aneven horizontal travelling surface of the belt is presented for thereception of boxes of matches deposited upon it by suitable mech- (notshown) operatively associated with it and with match boxing machines.Suitable trips 8 are arranged at intervals longitudinally of andadjacent to the upper flight of the belt for intermittentlystoppingboxes of matches travelling thereon to arrange such boxes in uniformseries transversely of the conveyer belt. These trips 8 are looselymounted upon shafts 8 carried in brackets 8 fixed to the frame stringers7, and are oscillated on the shafts 8 by means of rods 8 carried by arms8 fixed on the shafts 8 at opposite sides of the belt 1.

' These rods 8 contact with fingers 8 formingpart of the trips Sand thearms 8' are connected for simultaneous oscillation by means of links 8'.Motion is imparted to the links 8 by a lever 8 fixed on any one of theshafts 8 and connected by a link 8 with a lever 8 carrying acam-follower 8 which cooperates with a cam 8 shaft 30 on which it isfixed. A stop memher or abutment 9 carried by suitable brackets 10attached to the stringers 7 is provided for limiting travelling movementof the boxes of matches, and for stopping these driven by boxes inuniform arrangement transversely of the belt.

The transfer device proper forming the essential feature of thisinvention comprises a slide 11 mounted ina guide member 12 secured tothe stringers 7, and this slide 11 carrier, in suitable bearing members13, a pusher member or arm 14 pivoted upon a in 15 journalled in themembers 13, and

aving a down-turned pusher end 16. Below its pivot 15, the arm 14 isprovided with a lever end 17 connected by means of a rod 18 with afriction clutch member 19 fixedly carried by the guide member 12. Thisclutch member 19 (Fig. 5) comprises a U-shaped frame 19 carrying atoneend a fixed friction member 19 between which and an adjustable frictionmember 19 the rod 18 is frictionally grasped. A spring 19 bears againstthis member and against an adjustable stop 19 having a threaded stem 19'passing through the end of member 19 and fixed in adjusted position by alock nut 19'. Downward movement of the arm 14 about its pivot 15 islimited by a pin 20 against which the lever extension 17 strikes, andthis.pin is arranged to limit also the upward movement of the arm byengagement with it of an abutment piece 21 carried by the leverextension 17. I

Reciprocation is imparted to the slide 11 by means of a linx 22 carriedin a bearing 23 of the slide, and connected with a l r 24 pivoted upon ashaft 25 carried in suitable bearings 26 mounted upon the machine frame.Thls lever derives oscillatory movement upon its pivot from a crank disk27 through a link 28. The crank disk 27 is rotated by means of bevelgearing or the like 29 driven from a shaft 30 which shaft is driven bychain and sprocket mechanism 31, 32, 33, receiving power from the shaft34 of the pulley 2.

This drive of the transfer device being derived from the drive of theconveyer belt will time the reciprocation of the pusher member 14 to thespeed of travel of the conveyer belt, and W111 consequently reciprocatethe member 14 at suitable intervals for pushing off of the belt seriesof boxes of matches arranged by the trips 8, during their advance withthe belt, l

The operation of this device would seem to be obvious, but in theinterest of clearness it may be said that considerin the parts as in thefull line position, Fig. 4, and assuming that a transverse series or rowof watch boxes isadvancing upon the conveyer belt 1, the initialmovement of the slide 11 in the direction of the arrow will cause thearm 14 to be depressed 'to the dotted line osition, (Fig. 4), by theoperation of the riction clutch member 19, which, having a tendency toprevent sliding of the rod 18 through it, will cause the arm 14 to turnupon its ivot 15. The continued advance of the s ide 11 will cause thepusher end 16 of the arm 14 to engage the nearmost box of the series orrow of boxes on the conveyer belt, and its continued advance will pushthe row of boxes off of the belt and onto a suitable chute or conveyer35 down which they may slide by gravity. After the row of boxes has beenpushed off of the conveyer belt, the return movement of the slide 11 andwith it of the arm 14 commences. The initial portion of this returnmovement will, by reason of the action of the friction clutch member 19upon the rod 18, cause the arm 14 to be raised to the dotted lineposition, Fig. 3, which position will be retained by the arm throughoutthe remainder of its return movement, and until it again moves forwardto transfer or discharge another row of boxes, as hereinbeforedescribed.

Obviously, the stop member or abutment 9, being arranged transverse] ofthe belt will arrest the travel of t e boxes of matches therewith intransverse alinement and in proper position to be transferredordischarged from the belt by the pusher end 16 of the arm 14. Obviously,therefore, the arm 14 must be raised, .as described,,upon its returnstroke in order to clear a row of boxes abutting against the stop member9.

It will thus be seen that I provide a very simple but eflicientmechanism for transferring uniformly arranged articles from a travellingconveyer or the like to some other apparatus or mechanism.

Various changes are contemplated as within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a travelling conveyer adapted tocarry a plurality of articles, of a stop member arranged in operativerelation to said conveyer and ada ted to arrest the travel of saidarticles in a inement, an oscillatory pusher memberreciprocablerelatively to said carrier and adapted to push the articles arrested bysaid stop member off of said carrier, means for imparting reciprocationto said pusher member, and friction controlled means for producingoscillation of said pusher member upon its pivot in response to itsreciprocation.

2. The combination with a travellin conveyer adapted to carry aplurality o articles, of a stop member arranged transversely 'of saidconveyer and adapted to arrest the travel of said articles in alinement,a pivoted pusher member reciprocable transversely of said carrier andadapted to push the articles arrested by said stop member off of saidcarrier, means for imparting reciprocation to said usher member, a leverextension on said pus er member, and means for producing oscillation ofsaid pusher member 11 on its pivot including a frlction clutch mem r anda slidable connection between said lever extension and said clutchmember, whereby said pusher member will be raised and lowered relativelyto said conveyer in response to its reciprocation.

3. The combination with a travelling conveyer adapted to carry aplurality of articles, of a stop member arranged transversely of saidconve er and adapted to arrest the travel of said oted pusher memberreciprocable transversely of said carrier and adapted to push articlesin alinement, a pivthe articles arrested by said stop member ofi of saidcarrier, means for imparting reciprocation to said pusher member, alever extension on said pusher member, and uneans forproducingoscillation of said pusher member upon its pivot in res onse to itsreciprocal? tion includin a fixe friction clutch member and a 1'connected with said lever extension and' slidable .throu b said clutchmember but subject to'the utching action thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set. my hand this 9th da of-MarchA. D. 1925.

(KRLO E. SWARTZ.

